Before the Amir Sword, Abbes proves imperious in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI (AE), DECEMBER 3^rd, 2023

SHEIKH ZAYED BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN JEWEL CROWN

Gr1 PA – 4-year-olds and up – 2,200m (11f) turf – AED 5,000,000

Currently trained in Qatar by French national Alban de Mieulle, Abbes (TM Fred Texas) carries the colours of Wathnan Racing. His trainer had opted to bypass the Qatar Arabian World Cup (Gr1 PA), despite winning the Doha Cup – Prix Manganate (Gr1 PA) during the summer, and he was rewarded accordingly. Indeed, Abbes is invariably seen to best advantage on the fast surfaces of Doha, but he proved just as effective at Abu Dhabi, where he was pencilled-in for a crack at the Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (Gr1 PA). This marked the sixth Gr1 PA success of his career.

Given a very confident ride by Mickaël Barzalona, the combination initially occupied a mid-field position in a race run at a good clip. Abbes enjoyed a good trip along the rails, before his rider, not wishing to get caught out in the dash for the line, asked his mount to pick up with 500m to go. Having made a beeline for the front end of the race, Abbes quickly mastered his rivals in the straight by accounting for a French trio comprising: Mutbahy Athbah (Jalnar Al Khalidiah), Ch’ezza (Af Albahar) and Nour Al Maury (Azadi). First Classs (Dahess), now part of the Doug Watson stable, was fifth.

Winning rider Mickaël Barzalona said: « We had a good trip along the rails. He was travelling easily throughout, and I didn’t have to get to the bottom of him when it came to winning the race. I’m very happy with the manner of his victory as his class shone through. It’s a very promising pointer to the future. » He subsequently paid tribute to the horse’s trainer, Alban de Mieulle, adding: »He’s a genuine horseman, and the real deal as a trainer when he has the right horse, and Abbes was wonderfully prepared for today’s race.« 

The winning trainer added: « I don’t know why he isn’t as effective on European tracks – perhaps because he’s racing on softer surfaces. We’re fully focused on the Qatari programme, with this race serving as a springboard towards his future objectives. I’m over the moon.« 

A son of the outstanding Raqiyah

Bred at the Haras du Grand Courgeon on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani, and boasting a regal pedigree page, Abbes spent his pre-training period with Éric Ventrou. He’s a son of TM Fred Texas (Burning Sand), although this successful Al Shaqab Racing sire was plagued by fertility problems prior to his export to Qatar.

His dam is the high class Raqiyah (Amer), a multiple Gr1 PA in France (including two editions of the Coupe d’Europe), Qatar and Britain, where Olivier Peslier enjoyed further top level success by taking the King George on Harbinger on the same Ascot card. Her first foal, the filly Badda (Séraphin du Paon), won in Qatar. Salwa (Kalino), her subsequent offering after Abbes, was pitched directly into PA Group company on her debut, and he followed up his Prix Tidjani (Gr3 PA) third by winning a Gr3 PA race at Ostend in July. The grandam, Sarahmina (Toronado de Syrah), herself a winner, has also yielded Tameemah (Amer), the French Arabian Breeders’ Challenge des 4ans (Gr1 PA) third, and the Prix Chéri Bibi (Gr3 PA) victor Neef (General). This is the line of Bergeronnette (Djourna), one of the blue hen mares of the Haras de Pompadour, as 25 black type performers trace back to her at either first, second or third generation level – including Prince d’Orient (Manganate): the winner of the Prix Abu Dhabi (Gr1 PA) at Chantilly.